Simply Brilliant

I can’t recommend Simply Brilliant more highly. If you feel like you have plateaued with your GMAT prep and need an extra boost, Stuart should be your first call.
After getting waitlisted at a top B-​School, I was called in by their AdCom committee and asked to retake the GMAT. At this point, I had already taken the test twice, scoring a 660 on my most recent attempt. To prepare for my first two tries, I had completed a Manhattan GMAT course and utilized the Economist’s online platform to study but felt that I was unfocused and unsure how to take my prep to the next level. After a terrible experience with and far too much wasted time on another tutoring company, a friend recommended Simply Brilliant to me. I went to Stuart at the 11^th hour (less than one month to prep for the test that could potentially get me into my dream business school) and it proved to be the best thing I could have done.
When I first reached out to Stuart, I was stressed, frazzled and, to be honest, completely freaking out. His positivity and encouragement helped to calm me down and refocus on what was important — studying! Despite my demanding work schedule (60+ hours/​week), Stuart worked with my availability and made himself available whenever I needed to squeeze in a session. He taught me countless new strategies to implement on test day and really helped me work through my issues with timing (particularly for quant). For both quant and verbal, he was able to take me through mini-​lessons on all the key material and then did targeted study based off my areas of weakness. Keep in mind, he was able to cover all of this with me in less than a month without making any topic feel rushed or glossed over. I quickly started seeing higher scores on my practice exams, which helped me to gain a bit of my confidence back before the test day arrived.
In the end, I was able to raise my GMAT score 50 points to a 710. I am absolutely positive that this increase was a direct result of Stuart’s help — there’s no way I would have raised my score that much without it.
Right after the test, I shared my score with Stuart via email, and he took the time to call and congratulate me right away. You can tell he truly cares about his customers and genuinely wants them to do well. Not only is he incredibly smart, but he’s also lovely to work with.

Stuart helped me get into the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. My 1^st GMAT score was fairly modest. The last time I took an exam like GMAT was almost 20 years ago and I just wasn’t prepared. Beyond the knowledge of the material — which I could have learned through books, etc. — I was lacking the overall strategy and mental conditioning necessary to do well on the test. I was also facing a very tight deadline for application, so I had to get going fast. I started working with Stuart twice a week and saw an immediate improvement in practice tests. Stuart helped me with both skills training and test strategies. My GMAT score improved by more than 100 points in about 6 weeks or practice. I would highly recommend Stuart to anyone looking for help no GMAT.

Stuart Park of Simply Brilliant truly helped me through the entire b-​school application process and is definitely someone I’d recommend working with.
Overall: Stuart Park and Simply Brilliant helped me get through the entire
application process. From GMAT prep, to essay reviews, to interview prep, to
connecting me with other students — Stuart was a great partner to help me through
an incredibly challenging process. Stuart helped set my mind at ease at a very
stressful time for me. Stuart’s essay/​application assistance in particular was
tremendously useful considering how labor intensive this area was for me. I highly
recommend Simply Brilliant and Stuart Park for application assistance of any kind,
as well as GMAT assistance and interview practice.
My Background: I live in Denver, CO and came from a non-​quantitative background with 5.5+ years of professional experience. I was focused on getting into a Top 20 program. I took a Manhattan GMAT course and was initially scoring in the high 500’s. However I needed some more help improving my speed and math score. Additionally, I knew I could use an extra set of eyes on my applications and wanted to find someone with experience with business school applications.
My Prior Frustrations before working with Stuart Park: Before I found
Simply Brilliant, I had worked with another professional tutor in math, however
was unimpressed with that person’s pushiness and general lack of caring. This
other tutor never seemed to move at my own pace. He was always eager to setup
additional sessions but always seemed to care more about the business (and the
money) than the client. Additionally, this previous tutor didn’t make an effort
to acknowledge or appreciate the previous study tips I had received through
Manhattan GMAT, instead insisting that his tactics were far superior. This way of
belittling what I had already learned did not help with my progression or general
morale.
GMAT Experience with Stuart Park: I began working with Stuart Park about
8 months before I took my final GMAT exam. We first focused on question types
of the GMAT that I was struggling with. Stuart did a great job of diving deep into
specific question types. I liked how he had a lot of the material and books that I
already possessed, which made it easy for him to focus on a particular question I
was struggling with. He also offered some really helpful suggestions about study
technique and test taking strategy (timing, preparation, day of test mindset, etc.)
that helped me mentally prepare for such a big test. [i]In the end, I ended up getting a 670 on the GMAT. Because of how great Stuart was to work with on the
GMAT, it was an easy choice to continue working with him for essay feedback and
application advise.
Essay/​Application Experience with Stuart Park: Stuart was especially helpful
with reviewing my essays and giving me feedback on them. His flexible schedule and
quick turnaround times with feedback were tremendous. I found myself applying to
several schools each with a tight deadline. Additionally, I had a full-​time job working 45+ hours/​week. Stuart recognized this and cleared his plate to work with me at the times I was available. Stuart also took time up-​front to understand what I wanted
feedback on. I was very particular about the areas I wanted feedback. I wanted to make sure my voice was being represented in my essays. Stuart honored this and
did not waste time in areas I was confident in. He also took time to explain his suggestions, which helped me understand where he was coming from.
Other Areas of Assistance: Stuart really went above and beyond to help
me get into the schools I was interested in. We had several training sessions on
interview preparation. Additionally, Stuart connected me with several students
at a variety of schools I was applying to. This came in really handy when trying to
research the programs and get to know current students.
Result: I was accepted to Kenan-​Flagler Business School (UNC Chapel Hill)
and Carroll School of Management (Boston College). BC offered me a $ 15k/​year
scholarship. In the end, I decided to attend Kenan-​Flagler because the academic
offerings aligned more with my interests and because it was a higher ranked
program.
Things I really liked about Stuart Park:
— Essay writing suggestions
— Ability to adapt to my learning style
— Ability to give feedback based on what I was looking for
— Flexible schedule
— Competitive rates
— Ability to answer one-​off questions
— Eagerness to learn my story and background
— Didn’t nickel and dime me
— Genuinely cared about my success!
If you’re looking for someone to assist with any part of the business school
application process, I highly recommend Simply Brilliant and Stuart Park. You can
learn more at
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Regards,
Charles T.